


Keep Running.

by outlandishWonderland



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - No Sburb/Sgrub Sessions, Alternate Universe - War, Character Death, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Mute Dave, Mute Dave Strider, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-27
Updated: 2014-09-21
Packaged: 2018-02-15 01:11:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2210016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/outlandishWonderland/pseuds/outlandishWonderland
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In an alternate universe, the highbloods (although human) still detest those that are lower.<br/>Rebels from high up the social ranking have flooded the U.S., slaughtering those lower than them.<br/>Karkat Vantas is one of the few who have been attacked and lived to tell the tale. Rescued by a group of lower-class citizens, he is taken in.<br/>One group member, however, is different. Silent. Mysterious.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_Keep fighting._

I kick and scream, thrashing in the water as strong hands push me under. Behind his cracked, dark glasses, my assailant glares daggers at me from narrowed, blue eyes. For a brief second, I wonder why he continues to wear them. I mean, they obviously don't work.

_Don't give up._

The cheering nearby grows louder, a deafening, whooping, screaming sound. It fills the air, celebrating some victory I obviously don't understand. It's hard to believe it's only one man making that sound, but then again, he's always been a bit of a loud-mouth.

_Show no weakness._

My head plunges underwater, but I pull it back up, swearing as loud as I can, sending a spray of water into my “friend”'s face.

_Hide your fear._

Water rushes past my ears, spreads up into my nose, stings my eyes in a blurry coat, floods over my tightly clamped lips. I can still hear her muffled screams through the hiss of the ocean, begging, beseeching, pleading them to let me go.

_Whatever you do, don't stop breathing._

I can't hold it any longer. My lungs are bursting, desperate for air. Brightly coloured spots dance at the corner of my eyes, obscuring my vision even more.  
My eyes are popping as my mouth snaps open, gasping for air, only to choke down more salty, dense water. I try to cry out, scream, yell- but all I'm ever greeted with is more salt, more filth, more sand.  
Then his hands release me, but I don't struggle out. I don't emerge, screaming and cursing. I don't seek revenge. I'm far too sleepy for that.  
It seems like the obvious solution right now, to sleep. So I do.  
Slowly, I close my eyes, and I'm floating, floating, floating...

  
“You're alive!”

My eyes open just a crack, bright, blinding light flooding in. A figure clouds my vision, blocking my view of the rest of the beach.

“Hey,” It says, it's voice high, yet obviously male. “Are you okay?”  
  
His hair is dark and messy, yet barely touches his pale, dirty face. Cloudy glasses frame his friendly, blue eyes, which stare down at me from under close-knit, thick eyebrows.

“I-I'm fine...” My voice is quiet, rasping from the depths of my dry throat.  
“Good!” He grins down at me, offering me his hand. I stare up at it for a second, before reluctantly taking it, and pulling myself up from the cold, wet sand.

My eyes still sting from the salt, burning horribly every time I blink. My black hair drips down onto my shoulders, and I shudder to imagine just what I look like right now.

_Don't trust him._

“My name's John.” The kid smiles, as he leads me away from the shore. “What's yours?”

His bright eyes shine up at me in nicest way possible, and he smiles kindly down at me- But somehow, I don't feel I can trust him. After all, look what happened last time I thought I had friends.  
I decide to keep my mouth shut, and stare down at my feet, watching each step with care.

 _Left, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right-_  
  
“Please tell me you  can talk, can't you?” The boy- Sorry,  _John-_  interrupts my thoughts. “I can't deal with more of that...” He trails off, before looking back at me.  
“Sorry, you don't want to hear that stuff, do you?”  
“No...” I say, but I don't look at him as I say it. “No, it's nothing like that. I can speak pretty fucking well, thank you very much.”

He sighs, a soft, sad sound, but doesn't add anything.  
Squeezing his eyes shut for a second, I watch as a single tear rolls down his filthy cheek. He doesn't brush it off, just continues walking.

“Wait a second...” He says, turning to me. “Do you even have anywhere to go?”  
“Uh...” I look back down, ducking my head low.  
“You don't, do you?” He asks, tilting his head to one side- A gesture which reminds me of a dog. “Well then, you're coming with me.”  
“What? No!” I cry, looking back up at him with shocked, brown eyes.  
“Come on,” He says, grabbing my arm. “We're going.”

The way from the beach to John's place is long and winding, the paths consisting of old, worn down grass. Mud cakes my already filthy shoes, and my feet ache, but the thought of shelter keeps me going. Tall, thick trees frame our way, blocking out the blinding sun.  
I watch my feet again, desperate to avoid any conversation. I don't want to set him off crying again, or something like that.

_Left, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right, Left-_

“Hey!” John calls, waving one hand in front of my face. “We're here!”

His house wasn't even close to what I expected- Well, it's not a house, as such. More of a shelter.  
The walls and doors are made of old, rotting wood, the windows cracked and dirty.  
A shiver runs down my spine. I still don't trust this guy, and this... this  _shack_  only makes his case worse. It looks like somewhere a rapist would hide their victims- Or maybe just a caricature of one.

He chuckles nervously.

  
“Heh... Home, sweet home, I guess...” He averts his eyes from the building, looking in any direction but that one. “I mean, it's really not much, but given the circumstances...”

I nod.

“I've stayed in some weird places. I think it'll be fine.”  
“Well, okay then.”

Grinning, he reaches for the grimy, old doorknob.  
Two bright pairs of eyes stare up at me through the open door, casting confused looks up at John, who smiles.

_God, he's so fucking cheery._

“Hey guys!” He beams, setting something down on the filthy, wooden floor. A bag, I think. He must've been collecting seafood when he found me. “You all okay?”  
“Yes, John, we're all still alive.” A female voice, laced with slight sarcasm. Just from the way she spoke, I could almost tell just how well-read she was. It's not as if she'll get many books now, though. “You really should let us take care of our own needs, and focus on our own survival, you know.”

She pauses for a second, if only to pick fluff from her scarf.  
“And who is this?”  
John turns to look at me, tilting his head to one side.

_Shit, I never did introduce myself._

“It's Karkat.” I say, bluntly.  
“Yes, Rose. That's Karkat, apparently. I found him in the water...” His voice drops to a whisper. “I think  _they_  tried to drown him.”

'Rose', if that's really her name, is a tall, thin girl. From what I just saw, she reminds me very much of a cat in her ways. A sleek, light yellow cat, with piercing, violet eyes, which stare deep into you soul, as if to discover just who you really are inside. A thick, purple scarf is tied around her neck (which, if she  _was_  feline, would be her collar), and she appears to play with it between sentences. Perhaps it means a lot to her.

Even if just slightly, she scares me.

“Well, then. Nice to meet you, Karkat!” Chimes another, also female voice. “I'm Jade!”  
I smile in return- Well, I try to. It most likely comes across as more of a grimace, or a snarl. Either way, she seems to get the sentiment.

Everything about Jade practically screams friendly, from the dancing, green eyes peering out from behind her round glasses, to the big, happy grin plastered on her face, to the bright blue motif on her t-shirt. As soon as she introduces herself, she begins to dart around, pelting me with questions and kind words. I guess it's been a while since she last saw new people. If Rose is a cat, then Jade is definitely a dog.

A slight rustling in the corner makes me jump, and the others turn around almost hopefully. A tall, slim figure rises out from a makeshift nest of blankets, running one pale hand across his mainly obstructed face.

“Oh, good morning, Dave!” John beams brightly in the boy's direction. “Sleep well?”

Dave is... He was... How do I even begin to describe him?

Dave's very being is so big a single room can't even begin to contain it. It crashes through doors, spills out open windows, leaks through holes you didn't even know were there.  
His presence has to be known, if not, he will make it. From rapping, to weird 'ironic' costumes, from puppets, to DJ-ing, he'll always find something to make him the centre of attention.  
His pale hair and skin, combined with heavy, dark glasses makes him hard to ignore- As does his personality. Everyone seems to have an interesting story to tell about him, and they spare no details.  
His ego is three times bigger than the average human being's- Maybe even four. His work is always the sloppiest, his writing always the laziest. He always laughs the loudest, grins the brightest, takes everything just that little bit too far.

Or so they tell me.

_His glasses make him look like a poser._

Dave grunts, glancing over in my direction. From under his shades, I can feel his eyes searching me, glaring darkly at me- As if to say: “Who's the midget?”.

“Dave,” John says, his voice low and calm. “This is Karkat. Karkat, this is Dave.”  
“...” He doesn't answer, just looks away, before sitting back down into his nest of blankets. He nods towards Rose, and it's at that moment that I see the similarities between them.

“Oh, come  _on_ , Dave,” Rose whines, turning to face him. “Are you  _still_  doing this?”  
John must've seen the confusion in my eyes, because he smiles sadly down at me.  
“Sorry if he's a little, uh...” He pauses, taking time to think of the best word for it. “Antisocial. It's just... Um...” He trails off, unable to finish his sentence.

_Seems kinda selfish, to me._

Rose interjects.  
“Dave and his Bro were the ones who rounded us all up together- You know, when the fighting broke out?” I nod, and she continues. “As soon as it started, he and his Bro got a hold of all our guardians, and arranged for us to come and stay with them, where it was safe- At least, while it was, anyway.”

I look back over at the boy in the corner, and try to imagine him trying desperately to save his friends. Somehow, it doesn't quite fit.

“It was fine for a while- They had correctly calculated the safety of their home, and we were quite happy.  
“But one day, some of the rebels came. They claimed they needed the apartment for something, and of course his Bro refused. Obviously, though, they weren't very happy with that situation. They...”

She gulps, closing her eyes.  
“They slaughtered his big brother- His hero and solitary guardian- right before his very eyes.”

Jade butts in.  
“He hasn't spoken since then. It's been two months of grunting.” She laughs nervously, smiling sadly. “It's been really annoying. He was quite funny, too!”

I look over at Dave, and as I remember the story, my opinion of him changes.  
No longer does his silence seem selfish, he obviously just can't bring himself to speak.  
Who knows, maybe those glasses hide something just as rational...


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everything in italics is either a thought, or a flashback. Just so you guys know.
> 
> Thanks for reading, by the way!  
> I promise it gets more DaveKat-ish soon, but this is my first shipping story, so yeah...

_The room was quiet and peaceful- Or at least the closest to that you could get in the Strider household. Three out of four children lounged lazily about the room, exhausted from the Texas heat, while the other messed happily with his turntables- much to his friends' disgust.  
_ “ _Dave...” Rose groaned, pulling herself up just slightly. “Cut it out!”_

_She sent a plush, red object whizzing at his head- which he expertly dodged, before picking it up for all to see._

“ _Rose.” He laughed, pinching the horrible item between his thumb and forefinger. “I'll tell Bro you're throwing Smuppets, shall I?” A devilish grin spread across his previously emotionless face.  
_ “ _Don't. Even. Think about it.” She glared at him, before giggling to herself. A lot of fights like this had occurred since the others got there, but they were all in good spirit.  
_ “ _Why not?” He grinned, holding the Smuppet up high. “I'm sure he'd be delighted to hear how you're treating his stock. In fact, I-”  
_“ _Oh, just shut up!” Cried John from the corner. “I'm trying to take a nap. It's too damn hot here.”_

“ _Fine, we'll be quiet.” Dave sighed, rolling his eyes dramatically behind his shade. “So, Rose, you heard from your sister recently?”  
_ “ _No, I-” She was cut off by a brief, urgent-sounding knock at the door.  
_ _Silence spread throughout the room. No one moved._

“ _Fine, I'll fucking get it then, will I?” Bro's presence was obvious before he even opened his mouth. He was just like his little brother in that way- He could never enter a room without someone noticing him.  
_ _John bolted up at the sound of his voice, a look of both terror and confusion spreading across his face. Rose tilted her head to the right, pushing her knitting needles aside. Jade gulped, casting Dave a worried look, who sighed._

“ _S-Sorry, B-”  
_ “ _Nah, man, I'm just kidding.” The older man chuckled, his pointed shades gleaming. “You stay here with your friends. I've got this.”  
_ _Dave frowned, ducking as his brother attempted to ruffle his blonde hair. Bro laughed again, before speeding out of the room to answer the door._

“ _God, I hate it when he does that...” Dave groaned, staring almost in disbelief at the spot where his brother had stood just seconds before. “It's so fucking unnatural.”  
_ “ _At least it's a talent.” Jade beams. “That's more than we could say for you...”  
_ “ _Oh, you wanna fuckin' go there?!” He launched himself at his grinning friend, tackling her to the ground. She squeals with laughter, wriggling under his weight. “Are you sure you wanna fucking go there?!” Grabbing her glasses with one hand, he held them up in the air, out of her reach.  
_ “ _Well, being cool isn't a talent, Dave!”_

 _Dave sat up, handing Jade back her glasses. He could hear something outside, muffled, yet loud. It sounded... Angry.  
_ _Getting to his feet, he pulled himself up off Jade, and started to make his way to the front door. The halls of his apartment were long and narrow, the walls a blank, glaring white. The floor was strewn with wires, old bottles and smuppets, their garish colours dotting the otherwise dull carpet._

 

“ _What the fuck do you mean by that?!” Bro's voice was harsh, angry... threatening. Dave stiffened. It had been a long time since he heard his brother like that. What could have made him so mad?  
_ _Taking a deep breath, he poked his head slowly out around the corner. His Bro was there, hands on his hips... And boy, was he mad. Dave already knew that, though. What he needed to know was who was on the other side of the door. They were... They were..._

_Blue, Purple, Violet, Fuschia. Colours of the rebellion. It stood out on their black shirts, startlingly bright. Their eyes were narrowed, glaring at Bro._

“ _You don't seem to understand.” One purred, taking a step forward. “ You don't get a choice. We need it. You have it.”  
_“ _Look, man. I don't see the fuckin' point in all this. Why would you need to be here, of all places?” He asked, running one hand over his spiked, blonde hair.  
_ “ _You_ dare question us?!” Another yelled, grabbing bro by the collar of his polo shirt. “Why should you care? Just give us the house, and we'll leave you alone!”

 _Bro gasped, sending a spray of spit into the man's face, and struggling in his grip.  
_ “ _You can't...” He snarled, his voice hoarse and raspy. “Th-There are children in there...” Tears streamed down from behind his anime shades, and for once, he didn't try to fight them._

_The rebels glared darkly at the squirming, struggling man. Dave was horrified. He'd never seen his older brother look so vulnerable, never seen him crying. Bro was always just so... Strong._

_Dave must have moved, or at least made a sound, because the next thing he knew, those bright, masqueraded eyes were trained on him._

“ _D-Dave...” His brother stammered, his voice cracking. He shook in his assailant's grip, tears still pouring down his cheeks. “I'm so... So sorry...”  
_ _Dave noticed the gun just a second too late.  
_ “ _Bro!” He cried, breaking into a run. Maybe, just maybe, he could get there in time to save his brother's life._

 

_Bang!_

_A hole blasted into the side of Bro's blonde head, sending his body shooting backwards. His head hit the wall with a sickening crack, blood trickling down his chin. Blood and brains sprayed across the door, gruesome, brutal graffiti._

_The rebels wasted no time, bursting into the apartment. No remorse was shown, no moments were spared for the innocent life they just took. They just walked past his lifeless body, as if it was nothing at all._

“ _Clear out!” They boomed, having reached the living room. Jade squealed, burying her head into the couch. John stood up, his shoulders shaking, blue eyes watering behind his glasses. Rose froze, her violet eyes trained on the intruders. She looked as if she was trying to think of something, anything witty to say- But, just this once, she kept her mouth shut.  
_ _Dave crashed through the group, beckoning his friends to his side.  
_ “ _Come on!” He screamed, pulling Jade from the couch. “We have to leave!”  
_ _John darted up, scrambling into the hall. Rose didn't move, just stared, watching the commotion with interest.  
_ “ _Rose!” Dave shouted. His eyes caught on the gun that had killed his Bro, still loaded, and at hand. “Rose!”_

 _Still, she didn't stir. The gun glinted in the sunlight, gleaming threateningly in its holster.  
_ _He pushed his way amongst the rebels, bumping shoulders, knocking heads, treading on toes. He struggled his way to her side, and threw her over his shoulder, with a strength he'd never known before._

_Dave had never been good at sports- But, boy, did he run._

 

I wake to the sound of whispering voices. A soft, warm glow seeps in through the window.  
Slowly, I pull myself up off the ground.

_There's no way I can sleep through that..._

I should shut them up.  
Stumbling a little on the floor, my bare feet fail to find purchase on the old, rotted wood. Small, glass shards dig into the soft skin, and I curse under my breath.  
Gingerly, I take the grimy doorknob into my hands, and open the door.

The cold, night air hits me hard, sending shivers down my spine. The trees rustle in the wind, bending and swaying. An owl hoots somewhere in the distance, and I can hear the almost silent crash of waves. Beyond that, though, is something more... Human.

I can just make them out, silhouetted in a soft, white glow. Giggling, whispering, squealing- They sound so happy, and both, somehow, so... familiar.  
I take a few steps forward, leaving the sanctuary of the doorway.

Two feminine figures, slender, graceful, cast against the moonlight. I can see them better now, shoulders brushing, fingers stretching out towards the other, linking hands, pulling one another close. Chaste kisses stolen under the cover of darkness, whispered jokes met with near-silent chuckles.

Something brushes against me, sending a wave of foul-smelling air in my direction. Under the filth, though, I can smell... Apple Juice?  
He nods in my direction, expression flat and unchanging. I can feel his eyes burning into me from behind the dark glass, cold and distrusting. A red blanket is wrapped around his shoulders, tied at the front like a cloak. He doesn't stay, though. A flicker of a smile crosses his lips as he watches the two girls, and he makes his way back into the house, bumping into John as he does so. He grunts in apology, before squeezing through.

“Hey...” John grins, stumbling over to my side. “What're you doing out here? It's late, you know...”  
I frown, jerking my head in the couple's direction.

_I hope I don't come across as a pervert._

“Oh, them?” He sighs, setting himself down on the grass. “That's Rose and her, uh... Her girlfriend. She's middle-class, you see? If they were caught together, then...” He runs a finger across his throat. “We have to at least grant them this time. Kanaya's awesome, though. She speaks to us all, which is really...”

 

_Kanaya?_

Hearing her name hits me hard, physically, as well as emotionally. My head spins, heart pounding- Weak with a combination of relief and nostalgia. John's still speaking, but I can't seem to hear him. So many things flood into my brain at once. Too many memories. Too many things I want to forget.

“ _It's okay, Karkat.” Long, thin arms wrap around me, holding me tight. “It's okay. They can't hurt you now.” Slim hands smooth my ripped, bloody shirt, and I can see her lip curl in disgust._

“ _Karkat!” She calls out to me, pulling me back by the wrist. “Those are rebel colours! Stay with me, wait by my side, and don't speak.” She interacts so calmly with the high-class citizens, and I watch my protective friend with awe._

“ _Karkat, no!” She screams, rushing forward to grab me. “Don't go with them! Don't leave us!”_

 _A strong hand grasps her collar, and she turns desperately to it's owner._ “ _Vriska!” She cries, pulling on her friend's coat. “You can't let Karkat go with them! You can't!”  
_ _Vriska simply shrugs, her blue-painted lips smirking into the darkness._

 

_She's alive. She's alive. She's-_

“Kanaya!” I cry out, suddenly, involuntarily. Her head whips round, silhouetted in the pale glow of a lantern. Her green eyes squint, then widen, seemingly in confusion, or, could it be... relief?  
“Karkat!” She calls, leaping to her feet.

It's barely a second before those familiar arms are wrapped around me, and I can feel hot, wet tears seeping into my shoulders.

_It's okay. It's okay. You know someone now. It's okay. Everything's going to be oka-_

 

And that's when the earth is ripped right from under our feet.

 


End file.
